Justice Dept begins probe of Massachusetts police department

BOSTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors are investigating whether the police department in Massachusetts’ second largest city routinely uses excessive force or discriminates against residents based on race or gender. The U.S. attorney’s office in Boston announced the civil investigation Tuesday into the Worcester Police Department. Worcester has roughly 200,000 residents, and Census Bureau statistics show nearly a quater of its population is Latino or Hispanic, and 13% is Black or African American. Federal authorities say the investigation, among other things, will review department polices, evaluate officer interactions with the public and examine how the department addresses misconduct complaints. Messages seeking comment with city and police officials were not immediately returned Tuesday.